Sorcery! Parts 1 and 2

By wrapping classical adventure writing in a thoroughly modern play experience, inkle has turned Sorcery! into a great testament to the power and place of text in gaming's canon.

For a game with such immersive storytelling and decision-making, I thought it could perhaps have benefited from a little more background music to add to the sense of grand adventure. Maybe even a little bit of noise from the surrounding environment – such as the sounds of a busy market town or the chirping of crickets in the undergrowth at night. In fact I was quite surprised that this kind of embellishment was left out of the game, as it would have been a nice touch for a heightened sense of immersion.

Sorcery! Parts 1 & 2 is an enjoyable enough attempt to recreate the gamebook experience and, as such, is more suitable to players familiar with the format and its inherent limitations, or those that are more interested in following a well-written fantasy than exploring a fictional world.

When it comes to gameplay, Sorcery! won't be taxing for anyone. While the melee and magic combat don't shine on their own, they support the text adventure side of the game well, breaking up the extended periods of reading. Doesn't try to be an epic adventure, and will entertain over an afternoon.

A simple PC port of a good gamebook adaptation released originally on mobile devices. Both parts can be completed in few hours but they reveal their depth on the third playthrough. [04/2016, p.49]